Elegant Chest by Erno Fabry

About the Item

An elegant and refined chest of drawers by Erno Fabry. Made in Italy with solid brass, polished hardware and legs. Walnut construction with unusual curved front and picture frame design with brass inlay in the front drawers. Completely restored and finished by hand, including hardware. A note about the designer: Erno Fabry born Erno Fay Friedmann was born in 1906 in Austro-Hungary. Raised in prosperous Hungarian Jewish family he early on developed as an artist and graphic designer winning several competitions in the 1920's and 30's. Studying in Vienna he completed degrees in architecture and industrial design. From 1933-37 he was focused on architecture and built city halls, resort buildings, chain stores, and various other commercial and non commercial buildings. Primarily influenced by the leading French and German architects of the time such as Le Corbusier and Walter Gropius. Coming to Unites States in 1938 he worked with influential designer Norman Bel Geddes ( 1893-1958 ) who was advocating the aesthetic of "streamlining when only a few engineers were considering its functional use". Following his service service and WW2 in North Africa, Italy and Normandy and being wounded he moved to Texas and designed a highly praised, modernist seven story building for Blaugrund a local department store. Fabry's success was instantaneous and his clientelle included Wisconsin department store Porter's of Racine, the Wichita, Kansas based Cero candies chain, and the Forth Worth furniture maker A.Brandt Company. Fabry also designed textiles in this period for Swedish Modern Inc. in 1950 Fabry returned to NYC and established his own firm Fabry Associates. Influenced by Gio Ponti, Fabry had his own style, rooted in modernism and his love of highly grained woods to define proportions and effect in his furniture pieces. The Museum of Modern Art acquired a walnut table for its permanent collection in 1952. Fabry retired to Florida and died in 1984, leaving behind a legacy of accomplishments along many other immigrants and refugees of the 1930's-40's, that helped define the success and idealism of the American post war story.

Creator:

Erno Fabry (Designer)

Dimensions:

Height: 34 in (86.36 cm)Width: 39.5 in (100.33 cm)Depth: 19 in (48.26 cm)

Style:

Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)

Materials and Techniques:

Brass,Walnut

Place of Origin:

Italy

Period:

1950-1959